Letter to the Editor

Refurbing base housing should be priority

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

To the editor:

Why does Blytheville leadership stand idly by while the city of Blytheville dies?

Driving around the BGRAA complex and the Westminster retirement village, it can be seen that both are rapidly deteriorating beyond repair. There exists so many opportunities to salvage the base facilities, to greatly improve the Blytheville economy while deferring the high cost of tearing down the deteriorated facilities, and no one in leadership appears to give a hoot. It is obvious that the retirement center cannot at this time survive without assistance from local governments.

The village consists of 830 housing units while less than 150 are being utilized and the rest are not being maintained and repaired.

How could this organization become a supreme economic repair project? Arkansas and Oklahoma published studies concerning the effectiveness of retirement centers and the economics affects. Both reports stated that retirement centers were on top of the list for growing the local economy.

Considering this fact: it is very apparent that money is drastically needed to repair the dilapidated facilities and fill them with occupants.

The needed funds could come from the slush fund called economic development funds, which the citizens of Mississippi County pay every time they spend a dime. Along with these funds, there could easily be establish a skilled labor training program as on-the-job skilled labor training in the repairing of the these facilities at a of minimum cost.

Federal statistics indicate that 3,867 jobs in Mississippi County are held by individuals who do not live in Mississippi County. Along with this data, it is shown that the county loses $95 million dollars per year as a result of outside workers. These figures indicate that a skilled labor training program is needed in the worst scenario.

A tremendous jump in the Blytheville area economy could be accomplished by stopping the corporation welfare giving and putting the money and effort into real economic development supported with real facts. The challenge presently exists. Where are the Leaders?

Today's newspaper had a county ordinance no. 0-2013-01 which approved a $100,000 funding to D &L Corporation to create 10 jobs in Blytheville. First, this appears as a free $100,000 for nothing because if a business is successful, it is most certain that they will grow in size due to their desire to increase in size to satisfy their demand or the anticipated demands. It is not known whether this $100,000 gift had anything to do with the increase in the operation of their business. However, it is known as a fact that the loss of jobs has not ceased growing. As a side note, it is rumored that the D&L owners have moved from Blytheville to Jonesboro. This raises a very important question of how much money that would have been spent in Mississippi County that will now be spent in Craighead county by these two families; and will the 10 new employee's be from Craighead County?

Ray Clouse
Blytheville